Dakota Crews' Airbridges: Saving Kashmir in 1947-48

• In 1947-48, Royal Indian Air Force Dakota crews established vital airbridges to Srinagar and Poonch during the first India-Pakistan war.
• These airlifts were crucial for delivering troops, ammunition, and supplies, and evacuating civilians, especially when land routes were blocked.
• Pilots like Mehar Singh and KK Majumdar flew thousands of sorties in challenging conditions, often with minimal navigation aids and under hostile fire.
• The Srinagar airbridge brought in the first troops, while the Poonch airbridge sustained the besieged town for nearly a year, preventing its fall.
• The operations demonstrated the strategic value of airlift capability, shaping India's defense thinking and military history.

Why It Matters: Dakota crews' airlifts saved Kashmir in 1947-48, establishing India's air power doctrine.